Community members who have been wondering how Common Core State Standards and state education funding are changing in Turlock Unified School District will have the opportunity to seek answers as the District is holding a public forum.

As TUSD is undergoing its transition into Common Core, it is also balancing a new way of receiving funds from the state. TUSD is implementing the Local Control Funding Formula, which places more spending control in the hands of local districts. The Local Control Accountability Plan addresses local priorities while outlining ways to meet annual goals for students as outlined by the state. The District is working to educate parents and community members regarding impending changes and will host four Common Core and LCAP information nights that will be held at Turlock Junior High School, Turlock High School, Wakefield Elementary and Medeiros Elementary.

“We strategically selected those campuses so that we can hit all pockets of our community,” said Assistant Superintendent of Education Services Dana Trevethan at the TUSD school board meeting on Tuesday.

TUSD is also circulating neon green LCAP Stakeholder Input and Feedback sheets and are encouraging parents, staff members and community members to submit them to the district.

“We are continuing to distribute these to the community so that our LCAP is truly reflective of their opinions, their concerns and their ideas for helping us create a cohesive, valuable plan on behalf of our students and staff in TUSD,” said Trevethan.

TUSD has formed a 32-member LCAP Steering Committee composed of community and District representatives. The Salvation Army, California State University, Stanislaus, Turlock Police Department, Excel Center and Creative Alternatives will represent the community, while the District will be represented by a TUSD Board member, District administrators, a variety of students and staff from programs such as Magnet and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM program.

“We were mindful of making sure that every program of our District was represented in some format,” said Trevethan.

The District is taking a strategic approach by delegating four people into eight separate cohorts to generate creativity in a structured way.

“Our goal is to have that committee come up with specific goals and strategies or actions that will provide services to students in our District that will meet the eight priorities that the state has identified as crucial for student achievement,” said Trevethan.

The Initial Local Control and Accountability Plan Meeting will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 10 at eCademy Professional Development Center.